Roller skate provided with propulsion means



1961 c. l. JOHNSON 2,996,306

ROLLER SKATE PROVIDED WITH PROPULSION MEANS Filed June 17, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR g1 CLAAEA/CE I J/wvso/v H BY 64 W ATTORNEY Aug.15, 1961 c. JOHNSON 2,996,306

ROLLER SKATE PROVIDED WITH PROPULSION MEANS Filed June 17, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CLA RE/vcE I JBH/vso/v ATTORNEY United Statesatent 2,996,306 ROLLER SKATE PROVIDED WITH PROPULSION MEANS Clarence I.Johnson, 1795 Willowhurst Ave., San Jose, Calif. Filed June 17, 1958,Ser. No. 742,622 7 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.11)

This invention relates to wheeled conveyances of the same general classas roller skates on which the wearer is carried from one place toanother for business or pleasure. More particularly, this inventionrelates to wheeled conveyances wherein the shifting of the weight of thewearer from one foot to the other is employed to furnish motive powerfor the conveyance.

Wheeled conveyances of this particular type have been proposedheretofore. However, these devices have been generally unsatisfactorydue to the fact that the mechanisms used for converting the downwardthrust of the wearers foot to a turning moment at the wheel of theconveyance have been extremely complicated or inefilcient.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved wheeledconveyance.

Another object is to provide a one-wheeled conveyance that is stable inoperation.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism for converting thedownward thrust of the wearers foot to a turning movement of the wheel.

Another object is to provide an improved means for securing a wheel tothe wearers leg and foot.

Another object is to provide an improved brake and brake-actuatingmechanism for a wheeled conveyance.

Another object is to provide an improved clutch for a wheeledconveyance.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent toone skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a wheeled conveyance constructed inaccordance with the teaching of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 6 is a more or less schematic showing of a child Wearing two ofthe wheeled conveyances of the present invention.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 the reference numeral 10 indicates a drum-like wheelor roller having a disk-like body portion 10A and an inturned peripheralflange ltlBwhich encloses a mounting chamber 11. A ground-contactingrubber tire 12 is secured around the outer surface of the flange 10B inany suitable manner. A central shaft 14 is secured to the wheel, as byrivets, and projects inwardly thereof into the chamber 11. A gear 16(FIG. 3), which is rotatably journalled on the shaft 14, hasa hub16Ahearing against a brass thrust washer 18. The gear 16-is operativelyconnected to the shaft =14 through a one-way clutch in the form of aspring 20 which has a body portion; 20A coiled around the shaft 14 and aradially-outwardly projecting end portion 298 disposed in a radial slot16B (FIG. 3) provided in the gear hub 16A. The arrangement is such that,when the gear 16 is rotated in one direction, the spring is woundtightly around the shaft in driving engagement therewith. When the gearis rotated in the opposite direction, the spring is loosened on theshaft and the driving connection is broken.

The gear 16 is rotated by means of a rack 30 (FIG. 4), the teeth ofwhich mesh with gear 16 and are formed on a loop member 31 that liesflat against a guide plate 32 and carries two power-transmitting rods 34and 35 that are disposed in vertical guide slots 36 and 37,respectively, in the guide plate. The lower power-t-ransmitting rod 34(FIG. 2) is secured to the loop member 32 by a spring clip 39 which isdisposed in a groove 40 in one end of the rod 34 and bears against aslanted Washer 41. This lower rod is rotatably journalled in a bearing42 of a leg-support plate 44 and is secured as by welding to abasemember 46A of a foot-receiving stirrup 46. The stirrup 46 has an outer,upwardly projecting strap portion 46B and an inner upwardly projectingstrap portion 46C that lies close against'the leg-support plate 44 andcarries, at its upper end, a pin 48 that is disposed in a curved slot 50(FIG. 1). in the support plate.

The upper power-transmitting rod 35 is in the form of a heavy rivet thatextends through the loop member 32, a spacer washer- 52, the upper guideslot 37, and through a strap 54 that is riveted. to the leg supportplate 44.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the guide plate 32 is provided with a bronzebushing 56 which receives the wheel shaft 14, and a brass washer 57 isdisposed between the guide plate 32 and the gear 16. A spring clip 58 isdisposed in a groove 60 in the inner end of the shaft 14 to lock themembers in assembled relation.

The outer strap portion 46B of the stirrup has slots 66 (FIG. 1) adaptedto receive-a strap 68 (shown in phantom lines) which is used tosecurethe wearers foot to the stirrup. Similarly, the leg-support plate 44 hasslots 45 (FIG. 1) adapted to receive a strap 72 for securing the leg ofthe wearer to the plate.

In FIG. 6 a boy is shown equipped with two of the wheeled conveyances ofthe present invention. It will be evident that, when the boy raises oneof his legs, the power-transmitting rods 34 and 35 and the rack 30 willbe carriedupwardly, causing the gear 16. to be rotated in a firstdirection. The one-way clutch is so arranged that, when the gear isrotated due to upward movement of the rack, the shaft will not bedriven. When the power transmitting rods are at the top of the guidegrooves, the boy pushes downwardly, causing the gear to be rotated inthe opposite direction. The clutch immediately grips the wheel shaft androtates it, causing the boy to be carried forwardly. It will be evidentthat the distance traveled during one downward pumping stroke willdepend upon how many revolutions the gear 16 makes and also upon theeffective outer diameter of the wheel. It is desirable that the rack andgear device be so coordinated with the length of the guide slots 36 and37 that one pumping stroke will cause one rotation of the gear 16 andone revolution of the wheel !10. One satisfactory arrangement consistsof a Wheel with a diameter, measured at the tire 12, of 2.0, inches, anda guide plate with grooves 6 inches long so that, for each pumpingstroke, the boy is carried forwardly approximately five feet.

A brake mechanism is provided in the form of a brake shoe (FIG. 4) thatis mounted at its upper end by a suitable pivot pin 82. At its lowerend, the brake shoe has a cylindrical wheel-contacting edge 80A. As seenin FIGS. 2 and 4, the lower end portion of the brake shoe 80 liesbetween the guide plate 32 and the rack loop 31. An edge 820 (FIG. 5) ofthe shoe is held against a flattened portion 84 of the lowerpower-transmitting rod 34 by a spring 86 (FIG. 1) which is connected tothe brake shoe and to the inner surface of the wheel 10. To apply thebrake, the boy drops his heel downwardly causing the rod 34 to rotatecounterclockwise (FIG. 1). As best seen in FIG. 5, this counterclockwiserotation forces the brake shoe St) to the dotted line position whereinthe shoe frictionally grips the inner surface of the wheel to stop itsrotation.

It will be noted in FIGURES 2 and 6 that the wheel 10 of each wheeledconveyance of the present invention is disposed at an angle relative tothe vertical, when it is in operation. In FIG. 2, the reference line 96indicates the approximate line of application of the wearers weight, andit is evident that this line is substantially normal to the ground,indicated by reference line 97. The inclined position of the conveyancepermits it to be mounted alongside the wearers foot and leg in aposition which afiords maximum stability. In this connection it shouldbe noted that, even when the power-transmitting rods are in theiruppermost positions at the top of the guide slots 36 and 37, the wearersfoot is still lower than the axis of shaft 14. This arrangement, whereinthe foot is always below the axis of rotation of the wheel to which itis operatively connected, makes the device particularly stable.

It is also to be noted that, since each conveyance has only one wheelsurface in contact with the ground, the conveyance can be readilyturned, to change the direction of movement of the operator, merely bypivoting the wheel laterally, using the point of contact with the groundas the pivot point. Thus a change of direction may be accomplishedwithout lifting the wheel from the ground, as is necessary when theconveyance has more than one ground-contacting wheel.

A particular "advantage of the invention resides in the use of anarticulated attachment arrangement wherein the wearers leg is strappedto the support plate 44 while the foot is strapped to the stirrup 46which is pivot-ally movable relative to the support plate. Thus, thewheel is maintained under the positive control of the leg while thebrake is applied by a swinging movement of the foot.

, While I have shown one embodiment of my invention, it will be evidentthat some variations may be made without departing from the novelconcepts of the invention. Accordingly, it will be understood that theinvention is limited only by the scope and proper interpretation of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A wheeled conveyance comprising a wheel having a disk-like body andan inturned peripheral flange defining a mounting chamber, a shaftsecured to said body and projecting into said chamber, a guide platefreely rotatable on said shaft and disposed in said chamber, said platehaving at least one vertical guide slot, an actuating member having aportion disposed in guided relation in said slot 'and mounted in saidchamber for reciprocating movement in a generally vertical plane, aone-way clutch operatively connecting said actuating member and saidshaft so that downward movement of said actuating member will causerotation of said shaft, and foot and leg attachment means mountedalongside said wheel and connected to said actuating member and arrangedto orient the wheel in inclined position relative to and alongside thewearers leg.

2. A wheeled conveyance comprising a shaft, a wheel secured to saidshaft for rotation therewith, a gear rotatable on said shaft, a one-wayclutch operatively connected between said gear and said shaft, a guideplate supported on said shaft and having upper and lower vertical guideslots disposed above and below said shaft respectively, upper and lowerpower-transmitting rods projecting through said upper and lower guideslots respectively, a rack secured to both of said rods and in mesh withsaid gear, a leg attaching member connected to said upperpower-transmitting rod, a foot support member connected to said lowerpower-transmitting rod, and means pivotally connecting said foot supportmember to said leg attaching member.

3. A wheeled conveyance comprising a shaft, 3. wheel secured to saidshaft for rotation therewith, means providing an axially projectinginturned peripheral flange on said wheel, a gear rotatable on saidshaft, a one-way clutch operatively connecting said gear and said shaft,a guide plate supported on said shaft and having upper and lowervertical guide slots disposed above and below said shaft respectively,upper and lower power-transmitting rods projecting through said upperand lower guide rods respectively, a rack secured to both of said rodsand in mesh with said gear, a leg attaching member connected to saidupper power-transmitting rod, a foot support member connected to saidlower power-transmitting rod, means pivotally connecting said footsupport member to said leg attaching member, and a brake plate pivotedon said guide plate and having a portion disposed in guided relationbetween said guide plate and said rack, and having a portion adapted tobe moved into frictional contact with said inturned flange, said lowerpower-transmitting rod having a flattened portion in abutting contactwith said brake plate, whereby rotation of said lower rod causespivoting of said brake plate and movement of said plate into brakingengagement with said flange.

4. In a wheeled conveyance, a shaft, a wheel connected to said shaft forrotation therewith, said wheel having a disk-like body portion and aninturned peripheral flange defining a mounting chamber, said shaft beingsecured to said wheel and projecting into said chamber, a gearoperatively connected to said shaft, a guide plate mounted in saidchamber in the plane of said wheel and having a slot therein, a rackdisposed within said chamber adjacent said guide plate and in mesh withsaid gear, a reciprocable drive member connected to said rack, and meanscarried by said drive member and projecting into the slot of said guideplate to guide the movement of said drive member.

5. In a wheeled conveyance, a wheel having an inturned peripheral flangedefining a mounting chamber, a shaft secured to said wheel andprojecting into said chamber, a gear operatively connected to said shaftwithin said chamber, a reciprocable leg attachment inclined relative tothe plane of said wheel and mounted on the open side of said chamber formovement in a plane parallel to the plane of said wheel, a rack mountedwithin said chamber and operatively conected to said gear, and meansconnecting said reciprocable leg attachment to said rack, wherebymovement of said leg attachment in one direction along the open side ofsaid chamber causes rotation of said gear in said chamber.

6. In a wheeled conveyance, a wheel having a disk-like body portion, adrive shaft connected to said disk-like body portion, a guide platerotatable on said shaft and disposed in the plane of said wheel, meansdefining a guide slot in said guide plate, a power transmitting memberdisposed between said body portion and said guide plate, meansconnecting said member in driving engagement with said shaft, a legattachment member mounted for reciprocating movement on the oppositeside of said plate from said power transmitting member, and meansextending through said slot and connecting said leg attachment and saidpower transmitting member for unitary movement.

7. A wheeled conveyance comprising a shaft, a wheel secured to saidshaft for rotation therewith, a gear rotatable on said shaft, a one-wayclutch operatively connected between said gear and said shaft, a guideplate supported on said shaft and havingupper and lower guide slotsdisposed above and below said shaft respectively, upper and lower guiderods projecting through said upper and lower guide slots respectively, arack mounted for movement with both of said rods and in mesh with saidgear, a leg attaching member mounted for movement alongside said guideplate, a foot support member below said leg attaching member, and meansconnecting both said leg attach- 1,869,612 ing member and said footsupport member for movement 2,520,793 with said rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 572,826 UNITED STATESPATENTS 130 806 591,925 Kimbrough Oct. 19, 1897 313,449 873,889 PalmerDec. 17, 1907 4,752, 1,437,314 Jorgensen Nov. 28, 1922 of 1903 1,761,807Van Etten June 3, 1930 10 108,913 1,861,584 Readeker et a1. June 7, 19326 Padgett Aug. 2, 1932 Blackwell Aug. 29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS FranceFeb. 28, 1924 Germany May 29, 1902 Germany July 14, 1919 Great BritainApr. 23, 1903 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1917

